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Admin·New Post·Service Status
Powered by Cloudflare·02.11.26
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Organic Maps

Original article
organicmaps.app|418 points|121 comments|by tosh|Jul 5, 2026

Organic Maps: Your Privacy-First Offline Navigator

Organic Maps is a dedicated, privacy-centric GPS application designed for those who love the outdoors—whether you are hiking, cycling, biking, or driving.

This project is a labor of love from the open-source community and the original architects behind the Maps.Me and MapsWithMe applications. Unlike most modern navigation tools, Organic Maps provides a 100% offline experience, meaning every single feature works without a cellular signal.

🚀 Getting Started

To begin your journey, simply follow these steps:

  • Install the application from a trusted source.
  • Download the map regions you need.
  • Insert your SIM card (Optional: throw it away for total disconnection!).
  • Explore for a week on a single charge without sending a single byte of data.

Available Platforms

Store/SourceLink/Platform
AppleAppStore
GoogleGoogle Play
HuaweiAppGallery
Open SourceFDroid, Obtainium, Accrescent

🛠️ Core Features

Organic Maps serves as the ultimate toolkit for tourists and adventurers alike:

  • Comprehensive Mapping: Utilizes OpenStreetMap to show detailed locations that are often missing from commercial maps.
  • Outdoor Specialized:
    • Dedicated paths for cycling, hiking, and walking.
    • Topographic details including contour lines, elevation profiles, slopes, and peaks.
  • Smart Navigation: Turn-by-turn guidance for cars, bikes, and pedestrians, featuring voice prompts and integration with CarPlay and Android Auto.
  • Urban Utility: Includes integrated metro and subway maps.
  • Efficiency:
    • Rapid offline search capabilities.
    • Low-storage footprints for regional maps.
    • Dark Mode for reduced eye strain.
  • Data Flexibility: Support for importing and exporting bookmarks via KML, KMZ, GPX, and GeoJSON formats.
  • Knowledge: Integrated Wikipedia entries for famous landmarks.

🌿 The "Organic" Philosophy

Why choose Organic Maps? Because it is "pure"—meaning it is stripped of the corporate bloat found in Big Tech apps.

"At Organic Maps, we believe that privacy is a fundamental human right. We protect your data from the prying eyes of Big Tech. Reject surveillance—embrace your freedom."

What you WON'T find here:

  • Ads
  • User tracking
  • Data harvesting
  • "Phoning home"
  • Forced registration
  • Mandatory tutorials
  • Email spam or Push notifications
  • Crapware or "pesticides"

The app's integrity is verified by the Exodus Privacy Project and TrackerControl for iOS. It requests only the bare minimum permissions required to function.


💰 Funding & Institutional Support

Organic Maps is an indie, community-driven project. While donations are welcomed, several institutional sponsors help maintain the infrastructure.

Major Contributors

SponsorContributionImage
NGI0 Entrust FundFunded the Search & Fonts improvement project via the NLnet Foundation and European Commission (Grant No 101069594).The NLnet Foundation
GoogleSupported student projects (2022–2025) via Google Summer of Code (e.g., Android Auto, Track Recording).Google Summer of Code
Mythic Beasts ISPProvides 2 virtual servers with a bandwidth capacity of Bandwidth≈400 TB/month\text{Bandwidth} \approx 400 \text{ TB/month}Bandwidth≈400 TB/month.Mythic Beasts
44+ TechnologiesProvides a dedicated server for SE Asia/Vietnam valued at \approx \12,000/\text{year}$.44+ Technologies
FUTOAwarded a \1,000$ micro-grant in February 2023.FUTO

👥 Community & Development

The software is entirely open-source and distributed under the following license:

Apache License 2.0

Get Involved

If you want to help improve the app, you can join the beta programs:

  1. iOS: TestFlight
  2. Android: Firebase
  3. Linux Desktop: Flatpak or standard packages

Feedback: Report bugs via the issue tracker or send an email.

Stay Connected:

  • Real-time: Telegram Channel or Matrix space.
  • Socials: FOSStodon, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Bluesky, Threads, Reddit, LinkedIn, TikTok.
  • Local Language Hubs (Telegram):
    • Hungarian, German, Chinese, French, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Ukrainian, Arabic, Persian, and Turkish.